Running into a Grizzly Bear

THE SMELL OF PINE

the smell of pine is in every breath I take,

the rain releases it as if it is a thousand butterflies

cupped in large hands and then uncupped

to fill the corners of a garden.

walking a steep trail established by centuries of animals

searching for better food and water;

bending down as often as I need to, making sure

an unturned rock with fossilized ancient life doesn’t remain hidden.

passing other hikers, more serious hikers with bear spray

attached to their belts like Western six-shooters

who tell us that peeing around your tent at night

will keep the bears away.

the image of us dancing around our tent

doing our best to guarantee a peaceful bear-free night

threatens to interrupt the perfect beauty of a walk 

through the sweet pine trees after a morning rain,

but the picture of running into a grizzly bear,

surprising him into attacking us and taking our bloody limbs into his mouth

was enough to cause us to turn around

and follow the bear-speakers out of harm’s way.

The next day we stopped by the road side with a hundred other tourists

to observe a bear in the far distance scratching his back in a berry bush;

he seemed harmless enough

and peeing around a tent seemed even more ridiculous than the day before.

Holy Trinity Anglican, San Antonio

Dear Holy Trinity friends, 

God is blessing us in so many ways at Holy Trinity!  Yea God!!  Most of all we are growing in Him, and He is growing us closer and closer to one another. I am very thankful.

In the history of Christian revivals, one of the factors that is almost universal (along with persecution) is Christians struggling to depend on

Rev. Canon Chuck Collins

God for daily bread.  Just look at the first Christians who struggled in these ways because they believed in Jesus.  I think of the countless stories of orphanages and hospitals that were within hours of shutting down were it not for a gift of radical generosity that kept them afloat and, more importantly, kept them prayerful. And I think of missionaries, like Rich and Kourtney Street who literally do not know where the next donation will come from (but believe that God will do it!). 

In 30 years as a priest I've experienced church financial challenges, but, in all honesty, nothing like the week-to-week dependence God is teaching us at Holy Trinity.  That we do not have any endowments, reserves, money (big, old, new or much) is ACTUALLY a tremendous blessing.  I really believe it.  God thinks enough of us to teach us to depend on Him week-by-week!  I hope He continues to teach us until we learn the incredible lesson of radical generosity -- so that when we have more, we will still live on the edge of needing Him.  Randy Alcorn is right, I think, when he says, "The more holdings we have on earth, the more likely we are to forget that we're citizens of another world."

Below are the principles that I believe. And, I believe they can transform our community. They will teach us to pray. They will help us live on the edge of trusting God.  They will help us to believe great things of God that are beyond our wildest dreams.  I know you are giving what you can and many of you are giving sacrificially and generously.  Please pray that God will continue to teach us about radical generosity, so that when we have more  .  .  .

Gratefully yours,

  

Chuck

Holy Trinity Anglican Church, San Antonio

We Promise . . .

 . . . We will give God the credit as "the giver" of all that we have, spiritually and materially.

 . . . We will be a safe place for people to hear the good news about stewardship, free from pressure or manipulation of any sort.

 . . . We ask our parishioners to give what they can give freely and joyfully, in response to the love of Jesus Christ.

. . . We will use the resources entrusted to us exactly as directed by the giver, and we will do so with the absolute integrity and utmost transparency.

. . . We will believe God for greater things than we can accomplish in our own abilities, so that God will get the credit when it is accomplished.

 . . . We will make detailed financial statements (and annual audits) available to any parishioner who asks.

. . . We will model generosity and "First-fruits Giving" in the way that we support missions and outreach.